In order to entice consumers to purchase a particular product, manufacturers have often employed a wide variety of promotional contests or games. One very popular contest or game promotion involves the printing of indicia under the sealing cap employed to close and sealingly retain a liquid product within a particular container. Typically, such products are liquid or moist products, such as soda, juices, beverages, soups, detergents, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and the like.
Although such promotional contests have become very popular and are widely used by a variety of manufacturers of different liquid or moist products, one major difficulty that has been encountered in the use and distribution of products employing a promotion of this nature is the ability of consumers to determine prize winning products from non-prize winning products prior to purchasing the product. By manipulating the closed product and carefully observing the printed material placed under the cap, winning products can be found on the store shelf and selected by the consumer. As a result, the desired random distribution of prizes to all purchasers is thwarted.
In typical constructions, a liquid, wet or moist product is contained in a transparent container having either a narrow or wide portal zone which is closed by a removable cap. When a prior art promotional contest is conducted, prize-related indicia is printed under the cap of every bottle, with some indicia representing a particular prize award, while other indicia represents a loss or a no prize statement. Although attempts have been made to prevent the consumer from easily determining the particular indicia printed under the cap prior to opening and removing the cap, some consumers have become adept at carefully manipulating the product into various orientations which enable the consumer to observe the indicia printed under the cap prior to removal of the cap from the container. As a result, such consumers are able to preselect a prize bearing product from non-prize bearing products, thereby eliminating the random nature of the distribution desired by the manufacturer.
Another problem typically encountered with prior art under-the-cap promotions is the similarity between such promotions and their inability to generate interest amongst consumers to switch from one particular product to the product for which the promotional contest is being run. Although substantial effort has been expended by manufacturers in attempting to develop promotional, under-the-cap type contests which are unique and capable of generating greater interest amongst consumers, the consuming public has generally viewed under-the-cap promotions as similar contests, regardless of the manner in which awards or prizes are being won. Consequently, limited interest is generated by such under-the-cap promotions and the substantial increase of sales desired by the manufacturer is often not realized.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a promotional prize award member and distribution system which virtually eliminates any possibility that a prize bearing or awarding container can be pre-selected prior to opening the container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a promotional prize award member and distribution system having the characteristic features described above which substantially increases consumer interest and distinguishes the promotional concept from all prior art promotional games.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a promotional prize award member and distribution system having the characteristic features described above which provides distribution of unique collectable items in a manner which is both inexpensive for the manufacturers to employ and exciting for consumers to receive and collect.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.